Final Wishes
by Illusions of Insanity
Summary: After saving the world of Pokémon from certain doom and living among Pokémon for over a year, Silver and Lyra of Team SoulSilver decide to head home to the world of humans. To do so, they seek out Jirachi, the Wish Pokémon. The journey is not without its risks, however. Both want to leave under one condition, that they see each other again as humans. Will their wish come true?


The wind was bitter as the two explorers wandered inside of the legendary cave. Uneasy steps echoed out as the duo looked around. To the left was the team leader, a young Chikorita. The young Grass Type was staring boldly ahead even as the leaf atop her head quivered with fear of the unknown. Directly beside her with a brave face and shaking paws was a Cyndaquil. As her partner, he stood tall despite his short stature and glared ahead at the darkness. The cold stone beneath their feet seemed to accent their wavering certainty and the echoes of the dripping water somewhere ahead was nailing fear in their minds. The Chikorita turned to her partner with wide crimson eyes, hoping to find some sort of comfort in his gaze. The Cyndaquil quickly returned the gesture, but not without a hint of confusion.

"Silver," the Chikorita whispered. The Cyndaquil lifted his head just a bit higher at his name. Taking this as her sign to continue, the Leaf Pokémon took a deep breath and tried to swallow her fear. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Silver tilted his head in confusion, prompting her to explain. After a year of working together as a rescue team, she was used to his nonverbal cues and so she spoke again. "This Jirachi...the town said that he would grant our wishes...but are you positive this is the right choice?"

The Fire Mouse Pokémon slowly raised his right paw from his shoulder-hanging explorer's bag and placed it against her own paw, trying to reassure her. "Lyra," he sighed, "I'm...not sure." Her red eyes seemed to shiver as he turned his head away before looking back up at the daunting path ahead of them. "All I know is what Guardevoir told us." His serious expression melted for a fraction of a second and gave the Leaf Pokémon a glimpse at his own fear. "She told us both that we were once humans," he explained. "She said that we both had some life other than this. If we stay here, we..." His voice drifted away, unable to finish his words. Still, it was unnecessary. Lyra knew exactly what he meant with his lack of words.

If the two of them stayed here, they would never be satisfied. The haunting doubt of what they once were would continue to plauge them for their entire lives. If they somehow did manage to push it aside and continue living as Pokémon, things would never be just how they wanted it. There were just too many things that would get in the way, too many things that made the future they desired impossible.

"I understand." Lyra nodded and looked ahead in the cloak of shadows, daring what lie ahead to try and stop them. "We had a lot of fun as a rescue team. We made great friends, saved the world and changed Pokémon's lives." Her pride withered as she stared down at her small paws. "I'm certain that Totodile, Caterpie and the others will continue to run Team SoulSilver and make it the greatest rescue team to ever exist!" She then let out an awkward chuckle at the thought of the comfy base they had left behind. "We already said our goodbyes in Town Square, but the thought of leaving here for good still makes me nervous."

"Hey." The Leaf Pokémon turned to see Silver with a determined face and a paw on his most treasured item. The small badge of gold gleamed despite the lack of sunshine, bringing a smile to Lyra's face. She looked back up at her partner and waited for him to speak. "As long as we have each other, we'll make it out just fine." His navy blue fur spiked up in embarrassment, but he forced himself to keep talking and ignore the burning in his fur. "Once we're human again, I'll find you. We'll still be together, no matter what happens."

"Right," Lyra sighed. The Chikorita then turned towards the darkness ahead of them and took a slow step ahead. Silver tucked his rescue team badge away and gave a more determined first step. The duo slowly exchanged a brave glance before taking their steps in perfect time. With eyes pointed ahead, the darkness soon molded into a pair of towering wood doors. Team SoulSilver exchanged a questioning glance before a voice exploded in the quiet.

"You are about to enter Wish Cave," the voice announced. Despite the volume, the voice itself was soft and quiet. Lyra could detect a faint trace of a masculine tone to this hidden speaker. Taking a deep breath, the Leaf Pokémon straightened her posture. "Your level will be reset to level one upon entering. Also note that you are unable to bring any Poké in with you. All money will be taken away upon entering and not returned. Are you certain that you want to enter this dungeon?"

Silver gave Lyra one last glance, a quick catch of her eyes and a silent raise of his brow. The Chikorita just shook her head and took a step forward. The badge hidden away in the ribbon on her leaf began to glow as she glared at the door ahead of them. She took a deep breath before bowing her head and pointing her badge at the door. Silver slowly pulled his badge out and lifted it towards the door, letting it glow along with his partner's badge. The two golden trinkets radiated with what seemed like captured sunlight as the rescue team spoke the words that would change everything.

"I accept the challenge," they shouted.

The doors shook with their voices before slowly swinging open and revealing the vast expanse ahead of them. Lyra gave her partner a nod before taking a step forward. She paused in the doorway and looked back to find Silver tucking his badge away and waddling after her. She smiled at him as he stopped beside her. "Well," she breathed, "Are you ready?"

"I'm more than ready," he responded. Silver's paws shook with anticipation as he stared ahead at the grey stone before them. The path ahead was little more than a canyon of bleak grey rock. The floor of the cavern was surprisingly wet with the moisture of the stalagtites above them. The pattering sound of water reminded him of the time they had spent in so many other dungeons. "The steps that we take here will lead us back to where we first came from." He gave Lyra a hesitant look before feeling a flame of bravery take his body over. "I know we can make it together!"

His partner nodded before they ran ahead, finding bliss in the sound of the water at the their feet. They had done so much as Pokémon, but they were ready to return home. It was a hard decision, but so many factors brought them here today. As Lyra raced ahead of Silver with a fire in her eyes, she mentally looked back upon the things that had brought them here. For starters, they could never settle down and have a family like other Pokémon could. With the knowledge of being nothing more than humans trapped within a Pokémon's body, the mere idea of settling down with a Pokémon was ludicrous. They knew that after living among Pokémon for a year, it was about time that they found a way to return to their previous lives. Deep down inside of their chests was a terrible nagging feeling, a blistering desire to have a family. The thought of what they might have left behind was rattling in their brains and leaving them unable to concentrate. It was time to leave this world they had saved.

The wet floor eventually became a mosaic of blue tiles of varying sizes and shapes. The slosh of water eased out of the atmosphere and was replaced by an equally soothing sound of claws against solid stone. Lyra took the lead as her partner shifted their explorer bag and waddled after her. While Lyra was looking ahead in search of items and the beloved staircase that would lead them to the next floor, Silver was focused on finding any hidden foes that could be lurking around them. The Chikorita lead them down multiple narrow hallways before stopping at a generously sized room. In the dead center was a staircase. The Leaf Pokémon gave her partner a pleased, eager grin before running forward and heading up to the next level. Silver followed her with hiked shoulders, his eyes still looking for the enemy.

Once both members of Team SoulSilver were on the second floor, Lyra turned to Silver and gave him a prideful laugh. "If every floor is like the last one," she sneered, "We'll find the legendary Jirachi and have our wishes by tonight!"

It was as if her words were the spring to their trap. Bellsprout abruptly jumped out of the hall and raced inside with cries of anger. Silver, realizing this was his cue, took the lead and blasted them with a sharp Flamethrower attack. The Grass Types quickly fell to such an attack, unprepared by the sheer force that the Cyndaquil possessed at such a low level. The duo felt a rush of energy as they gained two whole levels from their quick encounter. Lyra gave her partner an apologetic glance before Silver just shook his head and adjusted the bag on his shoulder.

"Let's not forget our caution." His nose twitched as he took stock of the room. Once he found the scents to only be his own and his teammates, he eased and stepped a bit closer to her. "We may be strong statistically speaking," he lectured, "But our enemies are on an equal level as us. Our movepools should be enough to protect us, though." He quickly noticed the triumphant look in Lyra's eyes and shook his head. "Don't get too cocky, Lyra."

"I know," she whined. With a huff of annoyance, the Chikorita was walking forward again. Silver padded after her on his two back legs, preferring to keep his front paws at the ready to attack. "Still, I wonder what our lives were like." Her voice bounced off of the cavern walls and amplified into a powerful shout even though she had hardly whispered it. Lyra looked ahead with a glimmer of nervousness in her eyes. "Did we have wonderful, supportive friends like we did in Town Square? Or were we outcasts like when we had to be fugitives?" Her steps were shaky and uneven as Silver abandoned his position of lookout and instead stared at his partner with worry. "Every night, I keep thinking things over and over, imagining what my family could be like," she admitted. "Do I have a kind mother like Butterfree? Do I have a devoted father like Dugtrio?" She stopped walking for a moment to stare down at her paws in appraisal. "Who knows? I might even have someone who loves me like the Nidorina and Nidorino we rescued and escorted."

Silver frowned at her words. He would have been lying if he had said that he hadn't have thought of what his own family could be like on those long and sleepless nights back at their base. It was a restless sort of feeling; every time he had a moment to himself, the thoughts and what ifs of the life he couldn't remember haunted his mind and drove him to distraction. It should also be noted that he had thought of what Lyra's life could have been like. The poor Cyndaquil wondered if they had known each other as humans or not; by the way they got along so quickly, it was almost as if they were destined to become teammates. He shook off the thoughts with a hiss as he realized his mistake in leaving their surroundings unguarded.

"We can't know for sure," he growled. Lyra looked up at him with a baffled gaze before she shook it off and switched to a sympathetic one instead. She knew by the way his nose was scrunched up that his frustration was not with her, but with their circumstance. "I'll tell you one thing though. I bet you my life that you've got a great family waiting for you." The Chikorita's face lit up with pure joy at his words. Silver just returned her beaming smile before padding ahead of her and pointing to the only path they haven't explored. "I know that when we get back, you'll be even happier than Caterpie and Butterfree."

Lyra just laughed and nodded violently before dashing ahead. The Fire Mouse Pokémon shook his head in amusement before he did the same, his pattering paws quickly catching up and mantaining her steady pace. The bag swung over his shoulder slammed against his back in a steady rhythm, almost as if it were egging him on. Silver's eyes caught a glimpse of stone stairs and he abruptly turned towards it and brought the Chikorita along with them. Before he could blink the duo was up the stairs and on the next floor, still making decent progress for the type of dungeon they were trying to conquer.

Team SoulSilver hurried along with an incredible pace, defeating foes, gaining their stolen experience back, finding treasures that would have made a Meowth drool and climbing higher and higher in the vast cavern. It wasn't until the two partners had reached the twenty-fifth floor that Lyra's leaf on her head started to droop with lack of energy. The Chikorita slowed down gradually until she came to a stop, her shoulders heaving as she breathed heavily. Silver slowed down to stop beside her and tilted his head, waiting to see what she would say. Lyra was the leader of Team SoulSilver; they moved and stopped at her order. After a few minutes of silence, Silver reached out a paw and placed it on her shoulder. Red eyes snapped to meet his own as the Cyndaquil shifted on his hind legs and lowered his head towards her.

"Hey," he whispered, "Are you feeling alright?" Lyra gave him a curious expression before she shook her head. Silver narrowed his eyes in confusion. "Are you sure?" Again, the leader of their rescue team shook her head. The Cyndaquil let out a rumble at this. "You're not hungry, hurt or tired?" The air was tense with silence for a few heartbeats before the Leaf Pokémon gave in. With a great sigh, Lyra nodded her head.

"I'm pretty tired," she finally admitted. Her crimson eyes shimmered with a dreary sort of sleepiness. "I mean, we've got plenty of Max Elixirs, Sitrus Berries and Reviver Seeds in case things go wrong, but I just can't shake this off." She let out an awkward chuckle before she closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't want to hold us back."

Silver's fur bristled with frustration merely seconds after her words left her mouth. "You are _not_ holding us back," he hissed. "You're simply tired, that's all." His serious expression melted as he stared at his partner. He couldn't find a way to say it without feeling like he was being selfish, but he was pretty tired as well. They had spent a restless night preparing supplies for this journey, the previous day setting their affairs in order and saying goodbye to everyone and most of the early morning traveling to this dungeon. On all fronts, they had been active for over twenty-four hours now. Looking up at the slight glimpses of the sky that peered in through the high cavern walls, the Cyndaquil could clearly see the milky stars and deep blue of the night sky. Turning his head towads a promising dip in the cavern wall, he smiled weakly.

"We should take a rest for now." Silver gently pushed Lyra's shoulder in the direction of the cave's entrance and she quickly caught his meaning. The tired Chikorita reached out a single vine from her elegant green buds on her neck and the plant curled around her partner's palm. The second member of Team SoulSilver just smiled and held the offered vine without a single complaint. The two then walked over to the dark enclosure with echoing steps and peaceful breaths. The blue mosaic under their paws dropped off suddenly and was instead replaced by the same cold grey stone that created the walls surrounding them. The partners weakly wandered to the center of the cavern and flopped down with a universal exhale of relief.

Lyra slowly released Silver's paw only to delicately take the bag off of his shoulder and place it beside him. The Cyndaquil gave her a thankful glance before sitting up and rubbing his acheing back paws. He was never one to seem weak or vulnerable, so he held in the complaint of his throbbing paws. It certainly made him reluctant to speak up when Lyra had to walk on all four of her paws. He may not be able to clearly remember a single thing about his life as a human, but he was faintly familiar with the image of a human standing on only two legs. In this case it made him be in a more forgiving position, as he had fewer paws that would ache from walking so many floors and mapping them out as they went when the floors would never be the same twice.

Lyra rolled over on to her back across from him with closed eyes, acting as if she was about to fall asleep where she was. She laid there for a few moments before she opened her eyes again and stared at the Cyndaquil across from her. "Silver," she murmured. The Fire Mouse Pokémon lifted his gaze in response, catching her eyes. The Leaf Pokémon took this opportunity to fall on her side instead of keeping her feet suspended in the air. Her bright red eyes were soulful and distant as she smiled at him. "Do you remember when we had to go into hiding?" Silver grunted in confirmation, leading her to continue. "We traveled through so many different places, just trying to run away from the angry Pokémon. We might have never made it out of there if it wasn't for Absol."

Silver hummed in remembrance before placing his paws on his lap as best as he could. "Yeah, that was a mess."

He shut his thoughtful eyes to get a clearer picture of that day. White snow had been billowing around them as the two continued to run away from the enraged citizens of Town Square. They had been arguing on and off for a few miles and at that point Lyra had reached her boiling point. The Chikorita just kept getting louder and louder, despite Silver's warnings of possible avalanches. It was only when a nearby mountain released a tidal wave of snow did the Leaf Pokémon apologize and run with a silent voice. They had only made it out of there with a sudden howl of the wind and some unknown Pokémon blasting the churning white to dissipate it. It wasn't until later in that very mountain that they had found their rescuer to be the Absol that they had been catching quick glances of along their snowy trek. The Cyndaquil pulled himself out of his thoughts and looked back to find his partner blinking lazily at him, waiting for him to say something else. His fur burned with a bit of embarrassment before he shifted in place and nodded his head. "We were lucky to meet him in there. I'm certain that we would have found ourselves in terrible danger without his help."

Lyra smiled in response before she sighed and rested her head completely on the cold stone floor. "We met so many amazing Pokémon along the way," she breathed. Her eyes became wistful as she stared blankly at the floor, almost as if she was looking at something other than the cave they were resting in. "I feel terrible about leaving them all behind, but I know we can't help it." A pang of sorrow stabbed both of the Pokémon as they exchanged a bittersweet glance. "We cannot stay here forever. We're not Pokémon, we're humans. Staying in this place just wouldn't be right. Besides," she paused, "I want to see where I came from. I want to know what I used to look like." Her head lifted weakly just to give Silver an earnest smile. "It seems a bit scary to leave what I've gotten used to, but I know that as long as we stick together, we can accomplish anything."

"Beacuse we're Team SoulSilver," Silver offered with a chuckle. The Leaf Pokémon nodded before peeling herself off of the floor and standing up. Silver's eyes flashed with a bit of complaint as he reached out a paw and pushed down on her shoulder. "No, it's fine. Go ahead and go to sleep." Lyra gave him a shocked look, her mouth open slightly in her moment of stillness. Her mouth then closed with a sweet smile as she nodded her head and reached out to him with her vines, giving him a quick hug with the tender plants before pulling them back in.

"It's not that. I'm just cold." Lyra tried to shake off the lingering sting of the freezing ground, but she was unsuccessful. "I'll go to sleep soon. I'm just going to go look for some leaves or something we can lay on." Her partner gave her a sad stare as she looked worriedly out of the cave. "I mean, I didn't exactly see any back there...but it wouldn't hurt to look again."

Silver took a deep breath before standing up again and shaking his fur as if he was wet. A warm charge flooded his veins before he sneezed out a few embers. The red circles on his back erupted with wild flames before he focused his energy. Lyra watched him in surprised silence as the wildfire on his spine calmed into simple candleflames. A welcoming orange glow cast shadows and highlights on the drab atmosphere of the cavern, lighting the grey with a murky sort of tangerine. The Fire Mouse curled up in a loose ball with his head on their bag before lifting his head and looking to his partner.

"Come on," he chirped. "You can sleep next to me and keep warm. I promise I won't burn you." His paws folded under his fluffy stomach fur as he made himself as small as he comfortably could, just as he always did before falling asleep. "I might as well use these flames on my back for something useful if I'm giving them up soon."

Lyra chuckled at him before padding over and kneeling beside him. The Cyndaquil curled his back slightly away from her to give the vulnerable Leaf Pokémon a place to rest her head. Lyra burrowed her chin into his navy blue fur as she laid down beside him. The small Pokémon curled closer together as Lyra just breathed out in contentedness and rested her cheek against his neck. The two founding members of the infamous Team SoulSilver breathed in perfect synchronization before Lyra dozily opened one eye and stared at the dancing flames on Silver's back.

"Thank you, Silver," she murmured. Silver just breathed and felt her breath rustle his fur until it became a steady rhythm. Feeling safe and secure in the silence, the Cyndaquil eased himself into a dark realm of sleep. The starry night sky slowly enveloped the dungeon outside with milky ribbons that fell to the blue tiles and a serene stillness. It was as if the dangerous wilds of Wish Cave had fallen asleep right beside the two hopefuls.

The night passed a little too soon for the slumbering travelers. Soon Lyra and Silver were up and eating a quick Big Apple before they grabbed their explorer's bag and wandered back outside of the cave. The morning sun threatened to blind them as they struggled to readjust the bright daylight air. After a few minutes of muted complaining and shuffling, the two were off once again and heading straight for each staircase they spotted. The floors passed quicker than before with their newfound energy. Enemies fell like autumn leaves and their levels scurried back to the top of the ladder as the duo went from level fifteen to level fifty in a matter of hours. Pretty soon the great Team SoulSilver was back on the level of the masters, with both of them standing at a dazzling level one-hundred status.

Before they knew it, they were already passing the sixtieth floor. It seemed that as the duo moved on, they grew more and more reminiscent of their numerous journeys. As Lyra lead the way to the next floor, the Cyndaquil and Chikorita team talked about what had happened to them in the span of a year. From saving Caterpie on their first ever mission, finishing their first escort mission to lead a lovestruck Nidoran back to his girlfriend, defeating the misguided and bitter Gengar and Team Meanies, fleeing their home after being accused of abandoning Gardevoir in her time of need to saving the whole world from a meteor, they had been through a wild adventure. However both had decided that it was time to leave and return to the world they had been taken away from. This wasn't without its risks. While Lyra's memories had been erased by Gardevoir, Silver's were inexplicably gone. Between the two of them, they only had a foggy idea of the human world and what they could expect there. Even with this limited knowledge they were determined to return to the world of their birth.

The grey barricade around them slowly dropped off as Lyra found the last flight of stairs. The Chikorita looked over her shoulder to find Silver rummaging through their bag. After a few moments, he pulled out a gleaming stone of pure white they had received from rescuing Medicham from this very cave at an earlier date. The Leaf Pokémon smiled at the sight of it before looking back to the stairs. Unlike the last ninety-nine staircases they had climbed, this one was wide and open, leading up to the dwelling place of the legendary Pokémon Jirachi. Lyra looked to Silver to find him staring at her with a burning, questioning gaze.

"Are you ready to go," he asked in a slight whisper. His voice was quiet with a solemn feeling of choice. He could tell that this moment would decide the rest of their lives. His posture straightened as he smiled at his partner. "Once we make our wish...we can never come back. Xatu told us that before we came here. You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I want to go, Silver." Lyra's crimson eyes were burning with determination as she stood just a bit taller. "We've done so much for this world...but there's nothing left for us beyond being a rescue team." Her eyes, though containing a strong flame, were gleaming with a faint mist of tears. "I want to have a family. I know you want that too," she paused. With a shivering inhale, she blinked her tears away. "We'll go together."

Silver smiled at her before walking up to stand beside her. His empty paw once again rested against her shoulder and Lyra summoned a vine to once again take his paw and hold it tight. "Always," he breathed. A warm fluttering beckoned them to walk forward. With calm and calculated steps, Team SoulSilver climbed their last staircase.

The blue mosaic below their paws melted within a sea of gold and grey tiles as the open sky greeted them. The sound of their steps rang in their ears as they found a perfectly flat floor that acted as a mirror, presenting them with their own reflection. To their utter amazement, the cavern opened up into a breathtaking balcony of stone. The noon sun blistered above their heads as they looked upon the emptiness. Silver looked around in confusion. There wasn't a single sign of life on this stone stage. His shoulders slacked as he turned to Lyra. She was looking around with a similar confusion before narrowing her eyes in disappointed thought. Legends such as Rayquaza and Ninetales were true, as were other tales of dashing heroes and intriguing Pokémon. Why would the story of Jirachi be any different, when many had claimed his existence. They even _heard_ his voice before they entered the cavern. There was no possible way that the Wish Pokémon could _not_ be here.

Abruptly, the reflection at their feet vanished. Lyra let out a squeak at the sudden change as Silver just took a few awkward steps backwards. The bright sun above them seemed to fade and melt away into a swallowing darkness. The Leaf Pokémon unleashed her vines in preparation of the worst while her partner started to channel his inner flame to burn brighter. Instead of something leaping out at them, the darkness beckoned the glorious stars to rise again, presenting them with a shimmering backdrop instead of one they had seen so many times. Lyra felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight, but she forced herself to remain ready for battle. If her year as a Pokémon taught her one thing, it was to never let your guard down.

The white Wish Stone Silver cradled began to shake, making him drop it out of reflex. The milky rock hit the tiles below them with a harsh crack before bursting open into a blinding white light. Both Pokémon shielded their eyes before the light faded away. Lyra looked up first to find a small body floating in front of them, surrounded by what seemed like miniature falling stars. Her mouth fell open and against her determination, she lowered her weapons. The small form unfolded to reveal a pale yellow head in the shape of a star, a petite white body and blue ribbons attached to his head on both the top spike and the sides. Little black eyes fluttered open and stared at their guests, seemingly looking straight through them instead of at them.

"Welcome, Lyra and Silver," the strange Pokémon cooed. Silver stepped up to stand beside his partner as the small Pokémon smiled at them. "You have braved many challenges in this world before coming to my home. I am more than happy to grant the heroes of this world a wish." Both Pokémon then realized this small Pokémon to be the legendary Jirachi. Lyra beamed at the realization as Silver just stared in awe, unable to think under the joy that was rushing in his mind. They had done it. They had reached Jirachi. They could finally have their wish.

"Jirachi." Lyra bowed at the Wish Pokémon in a quick display of respect before rising to her paws once again. "It is an honor to meet you," she announced. Her right vine went back in the one of the buds around her neck, but the other one found Silver's paw in the sudden night and clung to him, wanting to keep him close. "Silver and I have come to you with a...complicated wish." Jirachi's blue eyes narrowed in baffled silence before he fluttered a little closer to them.

"You mean," he began, "You do not wish for money or amazing prizes?" Lyra shook her head in refusal. The Wish Pokémon let out a hum of surprise before twirling in air as he came to a sudden conclusion. He smiled at them with a sort of devious grin. "Oh! You two must be here for a Pokémon Egg then!" Both Pokémon paled as Jirachi closed his eyes and giggled to himself. "Many Pokémon couples come to me for a bit of help, as not everyone can have a family. There are surprisingly strict limitations on which Pokémon can—"

"That's not what we're here for," Silver sputtered. Jirachi looked a bit irked at being interrupted, but nevertheless he remained silent. The Cyndaquil took a deep breath and stepped forward, squeezing Lyra's vine in search of reassurance as he did so. He then tilted his head up towards the Wish Pokémon and stared up at him with a solemn air. "Lyra and I were once humans." Jirachi just nodded as if he already knew of this. Silver took this as a sign to continue and kept talking. "We came here at different times with no recollection of our past lives. At first, it didn't exactly bother us too much," he admitted. "We grew used to living as a Chikorita and a Cyndaquil. We helped Pokémon, saved the world and became a legendary rescue team."

"The best rescue team in the world," Jirachi praised. Lyra smiled fondly at this, while Silver simply nodded in acceptance.

"In ranking, yes." Silver took a deep breath before swallowing down a nagging feeling of fear in his stomach. This was it. The moment the two had worked so hard for had finally arrived. "Jirachi," he began, "Lyra and I have greatly enjoyed our time in your world. However, we really want to return to being humans in our old world." Jirachi looked a bit shocked at this, but he again remained silent. The Wish Pokémon instead stared at them expectantly, hanging on their every word.

"We want to see where we came from and meet our families," Lyra added with a hint of nervousness. Her crimson eyes flickered from her best friend and back to the legendary Pokémon. "After seeing how wonderful Butterfree and Dugtrio are to their children, we can't help but wonder what our own parents were like. We...we want to become human again."

Jirachi nodded with closed eyes before opening them and smiling at them. "I see." His quiet voice was echoing just as before again, as if he was returning to a state of power as other legendaries did before doing something that required a lot of power. "Then you wish to return to your own world now. I understand your feelings; it would only make sense that you would miss your parents."

"We want to leave under _two_ conditions," Silver blurted. The Wish Pokémon looked at him curiously before motioning for him to continue. The Cyndaquil fought to hide his nervousness as his fur burned and prickled with energy. "First of all, I..." His voice faded as he fought to find the words he wanted to say. His first condition was entirely selfish, and Lyra knew it too. Still she urged him on with a squeeze of his paw. Silver then looked up with a tender flame of bravery. "I want to know why I lost my memories of my human life. Lyra lost hers from Gardevoir's influence. I came here before Lyra did though...and I never even knew I was human until Ninetails told me. Why can't I remember?"

"Your memory loss is not as terrible as you think," Jirachi soothed. Anger boiled in the Fire Mouse Pokémon at the legendary's words, despite his desire to remain respectful to him. Before he could question as to how his memories were so unimportant, Jirachi spoke again. "You still have your memories, but they are sleeping within you," he explained. "If you to return to your human life, I am certain that you would regain them after a few months. They were just forced to sleep so you could fulfill your part in saving the world. You had to guide Lyra on the path to becoming a hero."

Silver shook his head in disbelief. He had always thought that his memories were gone for good. Now it seemed like everything he had wanted was falling right at his feet, waiting to be taken. As joy swelled within him, he stepped back and motioned for Lyra to finish for him. His mind was swirling with his excitement to the point that he couldn't think.

"There's one more condition," Lyra continued for her partner. Jirachi just smiled, nodded and waited for her to speak. The Leaf Pokémon took a deep breath, her small body drowning in anxiety. This was the most important part of all. The answer to this demand would either make or break this deal. Her crimson eyes lifted to the Wish Pokémon with a desperate flame of bravery that was refusing to die out. "Silver and I only will go to the human world if we can be together again."

Jirachi's eyes widened before he just shook his head. "Certainly. I would expect no less from you two." Before either Pokémon could question just what he could mean, he was talking once again. "I am pleased to tell you that in the human world, meeting each other will not be impossible. In fact, it is very plausible. Humans travel faster than Pokémon and can communicate over much farther distances than Pokémon can—"

"No," Lyra growled. The Wish Pokémon narrowed his eyes at the Leaf Pokémon. Lyra shook as she lifted her chin just a bit higher, Silver standing beside her and holding her vine tight. "I want us to be able to see each other face to face, to be able to be right beside each other. I will not go if we cannot be with each other again!" Silver's eyes widened at her frustration. The fury she was holding in her tongue was quite unlike anything he had seen before. It was different than the rage she had shown against Rayquaza. Instead it was more volatile, more hostile. It was almost like the rage of Nidoqueen who was searching desperately for her Nidoking.

"Please remain calm," Jirachi sighed. His calm voice was free from any anger or dislike from Lyra's show of emotion. In fact, he seemed quite humored by it if anything. "I promise you that you two will meet each other again. You both will be able to be just as you are now. Even better," he added, "You two will both have a hand to hold in that world."

Silver and Lyra exchanged a worried, thoughtful look. According to Jirachi, they could have exactly what they wished for. As hope rose within their chests, so did fear. The fear of the unknown slipped in their minds as they looked up at Jirachi. What if they did not like it there in the world of humans? They could never come back to the world of Pokémon once they left. Leaving behind the world they had known for a year in favor of one they couldn't even remember brought very strong emotions along with it. Could they even handle being human? Everything would be so different from this, the world they had saved.

Either way, Team SoulSilver made their decision.

"We want to go," Lyra spoke up. She stepped just a bit closer to Silver as her heart slammed against her ribcage. "We want to become humans again." Jirachi smiled at them with shrouded eyes. He seemed to take a deep breath before his stomach flashed and revealed a third eye. Frightened, Silver and Lyra jumped back. The Wish Pokémon closed the eyes on his head and spoke with stiff movements of his mouth.

"Then your wish is my command."

The porcelain reflection below them shattered as the starry night seemed to explode above them. The two partners lifted their heads and watched in fear as the stars turned to seeping white that acted like the body of a Grimer. The white forms slowly headed towards the two Pokémon and they turned around and tried to run away, but they were too late. The white snatched them up and held them in place, yanking the vine from Silver's paws as he screamed Lyra's name, trying desperately to reach her. The duo struggled as the white melted to just a bright light of the same color. The light wrapped itself around the two Pokémon and blotted out their vision. Jirachi floated motionless as the two forms were pulled and shifted until they both resembled the form the two leaders of Team SoulSilver had been born in. The bodies hovered in air before an earth-shattering screech consumed everything.

Abruptly, the world became nothing but a black void.

* * *

The overwhelming pain and noise faded away as Lyra laid there, motionless. Every part of her body was screaming in agony, begging and pleading with her to do _something_ to stop the ravenous burning under her skin. She took a sharp breath through her teeth and tried to move, but her attempts were useless. Feeling numb and vacant, she tried to open her eyes. Light pierced her miserable static and instead brought a flood of sounds. The sound was small, almost unnoticeable. Still the slight lift of a beep, similar to a Magnemite slipped in her ears. Confusion was the first thing to take shape in her mind beyond the distinct lack of anything.

Lyra then once again tried to open her eyes. This time she was rewarded with the sight of a strange metal frame that was holding white blankets. Something was hiding underneath, as shown by the slender shape sticking up from the flat surface. Her eyes then looked up slightly to find herself in a room with pastel green walls that were decorated with a forest green pattern of vines and leaves, giving the room a natural feel. A strange sort of ease washed over her. The sight reminded her of their base back outside of Town Square.

Everything hit her all at once.

The sudden realization hit her that she was no longer at the top of Wish Cave made her jerk up and try to stand, but a lightning bolt of pain rushed through her veins at such a rate that she became winded. She instead fell back against a soft surface behind her and gasped in shock and pain. Her body felt like it was made of rocks and was just as heavy. Lyra struggled to breathe before letting out a strange gurgled sound of pain. Where was Silver? Why couldn't she move?

A sharp gasp filled the silence. Lyra turned her head sharply to the right in hopes of seeing Silver beside her again, but the sight that awaited her was far from her expectations. Instead a strange Pokémon with pale skin and brown fur on the top of her head was sitting right beside her. They were staring at her with tears in her brown eyes, looking at her in a dumbfounded sort of way that made her feel very uncomfortable. This Pokémon slowly covered her mouth with two pale paws with _five bendable fingers_ and slowly shook her head, never taking her eyes off of Lyra for a single second. An itching discomfort rose in her motionless body at the lack of personal space. Before Lyra could open her mouth and complain, the Pokémon flung herself at the trapped hero and held her tight, sobbing right on her shoulder and sputtering incomprehensible words.

Lyra's heart throbbed with a strange sort of pain. It was something she had felt only a few times and each one was different than the last. The last time she had felt this way was when both Silver and herself had gotten separated in a terribly complicated dungeon and had finally caught sight of each other at the staircase to the next floor. This feeling was certainly one of happiness, but she had no reason to feel that way. If anything, she wanted to get out of this Pokémon's arms.

As Lyra struggled to move some part of her body, the events of what felt like a few heartbeats ago jumped around in her mind and fought for her brain's attention. They had made their wish before being attacked by Jirachi and being separated. Lyra had no idea where she was or why she couldn't move and it was all because Silver and herself had wished to become human again—

In a flash, everything fell in place.

The thing holding her and crying in her ear was _not_ a Pokémon but a _human_. Lyra was now in fact back in the human world and now a human herself, not the Chikorita she had been for all she could clearly remember. Excitement rushed in her veins. Their wish had come true! Both herself and Silver were humans again!

She paused her mental praises and cheers as she felt the human stroke the back of her head and try to talk again. The discomfort returned as faintly felt something move at her touch. It was too hard to tell, but she couldn't feel anything completely touch her skin. Instead it felt like something was brushing up against something soft, like fur. The strain of trying to figure out just what was going on made her head hurt like it had been hit with a rock. Lyra let out a whimper at the throbbing in her temples.

Immediately the human stepped back. Looking her over again, Lyra could see that the person was very happy to see her, even if she could not speak properly. Instead she was blubbering and choking through her own tears. Words slowly crept out of her mind until it suddenly felt like someone was jamming words directly into her brain, half of them strange and foreign to her. Yet in only heartbeats the strange jumble of sounds became a concrete idea that she recognized as if she had known it her whole life. Just what in the world was going on?

"L-Lyra," the _woman_ —as her mind was now telling her—choked. Lyra stared at her the instant she spoke her name. The brunette—another new word—woman was standing tall with shaking hands, almost as if she was terrified of her. Her face however was clearly happy despite the tears all over her face. "I-I can't believe..." The woman was trying to speak to her, even through the persistent sobs and tears that she was suffering from. "Y-You're finally awake. You're awake and I..." The woman took a moment to close her eyes and take a deep breath before slowly grabbing Lyra's hands and holding them tight within her own. "Oh, it's a miracle," she cried.

Lyra struggled against her tongue, trying to speak up. She had so many questions but her mouth seemed just as numb as the rest of her body. Growling at her own frustration, the girl thrashed and tried to sit up or get up or to even so much as move her own arm. After much noise she was finally able to move her jaw as she wished, which lead her to open her mouth and speak as she had been trying so desperately to do.

"W-Who are you," Lyra asked incredulously. Much to her confusion, the woman seemed utterly crushed by her words. The happiness died right off of her face and was instead replaced with a terrible raw worry that made Lyra's own heart squeeze in her chest. The woman held the girl's hands just a bit tighter as if that would somehow clear the confusion. Instead Lyra just shook her head and looked at the woman.

"Lyra, don't be ridiculous," the woman scolded quietly through her own tears. "How in the world could you forget your own _mother_?"

Lyra snapped to attention at the mere word. Looking at the woman, she was able to feel a muted sort of recognition. She couldn't pull out some sort of memory in her mind of the brunette—she had Gardevior to thank for that—but she could feel a connection to her. Tears formed in her own eyes at the idea that the woman standing next to her in a red sundress was indeed her very own mother. The girl who returned from the Pokémon world struggled to find the words necessary to explain how she felt as pure bliss, sharp sorrow and burning frustration churned in her heart in mind until all she could do was cry and stare at the woman beside her—at her mother.

* * *

In the next few whirlwind hours, words and understanding of the world around her started to swarm in her brain and take place beside the Pokémon world counterparts, allowing her to understand that the people dressed in long white coats were in fact doctors and that Lyra herself was in some sort of 'hospital' otherwise known as a place for injured people to get better.

From the bits and pieces she stole from their fast conversations, she had been in this hospital for over a year. Her mother had been very patient and waited at her bedside every day, even when nothing seemed to make her respond. It was a strange sort of bravery that made Lyra's heart feel warm and fuzzy. The details as to how she had ended up in such a state were never spoken of in front of her and whenever someone was about to talk about something related to it, they were silenced. This certainly drove the returning girl crazy, as she literally had no idea why everyone was fussing over her. It was only after a few of the nurses left that Lyra was finally able to move her body again and speak a bit more.

The first thing Lyra did was look around. Jirachi had promised that Silver would be with her and yet there was no sign of him. Granted she had no idea how he looked in his human body, she still hadn't seen a single person who was not employed at hospital except for her mother. The girl lifted her head a bit higher at this and looked to her mother. "Where's Silver?" Her mother lifted an eyebrow at Lyra's words but she remained seated.

"Who?" Lyra's mother smiled at her daughter but the look in her eyes proved she was doing it just to keep Lyra calm. "I'm sorry dear, but I don't know who that is." Lyra felt her heart drop at those words. Still the determination to reunite with her best friend burned in her heart.

"Silver," she stressed. "Silver and I were both in the Pokémon world together!" Lyra's mother suddenly looked horrified. Unable to understand the sudden shift in mood, Lyra tried explain better. "H-He was a Cyndaquil and I was a Chikorita. We were brought to the world of Pokémon to save it and we made our own rescue team together, Team SoulSilver!" The bedridden girl was growing panicked by the silence and the pained look in her mother's eyes. "Jirachi promised that we would come back together! He should be here with me!"

"Dear," Lyra's mother cooed. Her tone was pleading, almost desperate with her daughter. Lyra tried to sit up but the brunette woman gently pushed her back down to rest on her pillow. "Dear, that was just a dream." Horror, denial and worst of all fear rushed in Lyra's veins as the girl looked at her mother. "The doctors told me that it was surprisingly common for people in a comatose state to dream. It just means your brain was healing—"

"It was not a dream," Lyra spat. Fury swooped in place of the terror in her body, giving her a rush of adrenaline. "Silver and I were both Pokémon for a year! I would know if it was a dream or not. Gardevior told us that she brought me there to save the world!"

"It wasn't real," Lyra's mother pressed. Her brown eyes were sharp with tears and the desire for her daughter to listen. The woman started to brush Lyra's hair aside, giving the girl the chance to see that it was a brown color similar to her mother's. Tears of frustration started to form in Lyra's eyes as the woman shushed her. "Please, relax. It was just a dream. There's no such thing as a Cyndaquil or a Chikorita or...or Pokémon. It was all a dream, Lyra."

"It was not," Lyra growled. "I know it wasn't a dream!" Her chest started to feel like it was being twisted up and ripped apart, bringing her to gasp for air. Her mother pulled away to give her enough space to breathe as Lyra just sat there and glared at her mother. "It was real and I know it because I _lived_ it. I was a Pokémon!"

Before her mother could interject again, the door to Lyra's hospital room swung open. The woman turned to see a doctor with short blond hair and blue eyes walk in with a clipboard in his hands. The man smiled at them before silently motioning to the girl in the bed.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Soul." His voice was calm and quiet, almost pleading in tone. Lyra was instantly struck by the sound. His voice was hauntingly familiar to her. "I need to check on Lyra for a few minutes. You'll have to wait outside the room for a few minutes, I'm afraid." Lyra's mother gave her daughter a pained expression before quietly walking out of the room, giving her daughter a last glance over her shoulder before shutting the door behind her.

"So, how are you feeling, Lyra?" The doctor pulled one of the chairs from the side of the room and placed it at a small desk in the corner that Lyra hadn't really paid attention to earlier. The brunette girl remained silent as he scribbled some things down. The man seemed to shift under the silence, as if he realized the awkwardness of his appearance. He turned to face his patient with a gentle, friendly smile.

"I understand that you must feel a bit uncomfortable talking to me," he admitted. "Not to worry, I've been here lots of times. You just were not awake then. I just came to check on you." He tilted his head slightly as Lyra's arms seemed to shake, forcing her to rest them on her lap instead of holding her blanket closer to her. "I heard that you've been having a few problems lately. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I just want to find Silver," Lyra whimpered. The man lifted his head a bit at her words before ducking his head and nodding.

"Ah yes. I heard a bit about that." He slowly stood up from his chair and looked towards the door, as if waiting to see if someone was there. The doctor then turned towards Lyra and smiled again, this time with a bit of pleading in his tone. "You need to be patient. I understand that the separation is a bit rough, but you'll see him soon." Lyra jolted at his sudden encouragement before abruptly placing his haunting voice.

"Jirachi," she murmured. The man nodded slowly in response. Lyra took a deep breath before letting a few of her tears fall. "I don't understand it. Nothing is going like I thought it would." The girl lifted a quivering hand to her heart and fiddled with a stuffy crimson sweater she seemed to be wearing. "You said that Silver and I would meet each other here, but I can't even so much as leave this room." She shook her head sadly before looking back up at the Pokémon in disguise. "I just want out of here."

"You will be, soon." Jirachi looked anxiously to the clock on the wall before jolting in panic. He then quickly turned to Lyra and pointed at her hip. "Just keep a hold of that and you'll find him soon enough." Lyra looked at him incredulously before he motioned to her hip in a more frantic manner. "Your pocket, Lyra. Check your pocket."

The brunette reluctantly did as she was told. Her hand slipped down to her hip and slowly found a pocket. Her fingers shook as she felt inside, trying to figure out what Jirachi was trying to say. She found her answer in the form of a cold brush of metal and a soft fabric bordering it. Excitement bubbled in her chest as she pulled out a small trinket that she had cradled many times before.

In her palm was a golden badge in the shape of an orb with both another smaller orb in the center and a petite golden wing on each side of the badge. The gleaming badge was directly in the center of a red ribbon. Tears rushed to Lyra's eyes at the very sight of it. There was no mistaking the brilliant badge. It was her rescue team badge, through and through. The girl quickly clutched it to her chest and bent her head over it, feeling a wave of comfort and the sight of it. It was just another piece of evidence that she had indeed been a Pokémon. Sniffling, Lyra lifted her head to thank Jirachi.

He was gone.

* * *

Two depressing months passed and Lyra was now in a strange sort of hospital just for recovering comatose patients. The place was much smaller and quieter than the hospital she had woken up in, but that was fine with her. The only thing that bothered her was that she still had no sign of Silver. Jirachi had promised they would meet again in both this world and the world of Pokémon, but Lyra was having a very hard time at being patient. More than anything, the young brunette wanted to see her best friend and partner again. Staying in this hospital was damaging to her spirit. Some days, it felt like a burden to get up and out of her room. To make matters worse, she couldn't even walk on her own. The first day out of bed she had messed up her ankle, forcing her to use these strange branches that the nurse called crutches. It was days like those that made everything seem so much worse.

It was just making her regret their decision to return to the human world even more.

Lyra hobbled alongside her mother down yet another hallway of serene blue walls and fuzzy carpet of a similar color. The girl was starting to think that she was the only one in the whole building, which wasn't very good at warming her dark mood. The hallway eventually opened up into yet another room of blue walls, but this time with small swimming creatures painted in the varying shades. Lyra tried to find any of the Fish Pokémon she had encountered in her time as a Pokémon or at least something similar to it. It didn't even need to be said that her search was fruitless.

"We're here," Lyra's mother cooed. The woman turned to her daughter with an encouraging smile, trying to ease her daughter's foul mood. Despite her efforts, the young brunette just leaned in to her crutches and glared. "We can play a few board games if you want to, Lyra. I'll see if they have that money one you like."

Lyra just ignored her mother and hobbled over to one of the white couches. She sat down without a sound. Her mother gave her a sad glance before trying to find something interesting in the stacks of puzzles and board games that were sitting on the wooden coffeetable. The girl pushed her crutches aside, even ignoring them as they fell on the floor. She instead reached into her pocket and pulled out her rescue team badge. Her eyes softened with just a single glimpse of the golden surface and her heart stung with a homesickness she had been feeling far too often.

If she had her rescue team badge, did that mean that Silver had his as well? Her hazel eyes remained transfixed on the object even as someone started walking down the hallway towards the small room, talking the whole way. Perhaps he was looking at it right now, thinking of her. Did he regret becoming human again too? The thought made Lyra's chest hurt even more. This pain was worse than the time she had thought she was going to fade away. It was a bitter, ravenous pain that seemed to devour every inch of herself. Somewhere in her mind, Lyra wondered if Silver felt like that sometimes, too.

Abruptly, Lyra's mother stood up. "Ah, Mr. Lupo," the woman greeted. Lyra reluctantly looked up to see that two more people had entered the room, thus providing her with proof that this place was occupied by someone other than herself and her mother. The brunette woman slowly walked over to a man about her age with short black hair. The man had rough, serious facial features that made it seem like he was completely incapable of smiling and a long black trenchcoat, complete with matching fedora on his head. "I didn't realize that you were in the building," the woman admitted. Mr. Lupo gave Lyra's mother a respectful nod of the head before turning his cold grey eyes to the person beside him.

Beside him was a bit of a stretch of words. The second person to enter the room was a boy around Lyra's age who was using a wheelchair. Lyra wondered for a mere moment why he was before seeing the casts on his legs. She then cringed and realized that perhaps she was a bit lucky to only be stuck maneuvering with two large branches instead of a chair with wheels. Taking her attention away from his wheelchair, she then noticed the boy's vibrant hair. It was a bright shade of crimson, reminding her instantly of fire and thus, Silver the Cyndaquil. The young brunette watched as the boy scowled down at his knees, his fingers impatiently drumming on the arms of his wheelchair. He didn't seem too pleased to be here, either.

"I did not expect to find you here, either, Ms. Soul," Mr. Lupo rumbled. The man reached up to fix his fedora before motioning to himself. "Please, just Giovanni is fine." He then turned to Lyra with a faintly curious glance, though his eyebrows and mouth stayed perfectly chiseled into a frown. "I see your daughter is up as well. It truly is a miracle that both of our children are awake at last." Despite his lack of emotion in his face, his voice warmed up considerably.

"Do I know you," Lyra suddenly blurted. All eyes turned to the seated brunette, staring at the girl who had just spoken. Giovanni Lupo blinked at her before nodding his head slowly.

"Yes, you do." The dark haired man stood a bit taller and placed a hand on his son's wheelchair, prompting the boy to thrash in his chair restlessly. "My son went to school with you before...well, the accident happened."

"What accident?" Lyra's voice was firm as the burning desire to find the reason she was here surfaced again. "What happened?"

The two adults exchanged worried looks before Lyra's mother shook her head and sighed. "About a year ago," she began, "Both Giovanni's son and you were walking home from school. A..." The woman swallowed hard as if she was in pain. The man beside her gave her a waiting look before turning his attention to Lyra Soul and staring at her with downcast eyes.

"Some imbecile turned the corner at eighty miles an hour and hit you both," he furiously finished. His softer features had since become angry, his grey eyes gaining a spark of fury to bring some color to them. He turned to the boy beside him with a bit of a weaker fire, as if looking at his son eased his nerves. "You were both lucky to be alive but you...you two were knocked out. My son's legs...they were sh-shattered by the impact and your arm was broken. You both were—" He stopped abruptly, as if what he was saying was enraging him too much to continue. He forced himself to brush his son's bangs aside, bringing the boy to turn his head and stare at the floor.

Lyra felt like she was hit with an entire rockslide. Was that how things happened? She had been unable to figure out what had put her human self in the hospital, but now everything was just forced in front of her. She had been hit by what she supposed must have been a car or something similar and that was it. She was comatose on the spot. She shook her head at the thought. She had been sleeping the whole time she had been saving the world of Pokémon. It was no wonder that people had thought she had dreamed the whole thing.

"Well," Giovanni sighed after a few minutes of silence, "It is about time that we headed off." When Lyra's mother gave him a curious glance, he looked to his son and smiled faintly. "I came out here to see if there was a chess set around here. I know it is a bit much to expect from him so soon, but he was a member of the chess team, after all. I thought that trying to play it with him would maybe trigger a few memories or something along those lines." The man shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, there does not seem to be one around here. I'll just have to bring his own from home. It might do him better, actually."

Ms. Soul looked at the redheaded boy with a gentle smile before looking back at his father with a serious, almost worried expression. "Is he having trouble with his memory?"

"Not particularly," the man admitted. "His general memory of objects and such seems to be right on target. It is his personal memories—his remembering events that happened to him—that seems to be missing. The doctors said it is not too uncommon for this sort of amnesia to happen." His grey eyes narrowed as he looked back down at his son, who was now folding his arms against his chest and leaning his head back as if he was trying to sleep in his chair. "The real problem is his speech," Giovanni sighed.

"Can he talk," Lyra's mother asked with a cautious look to the boy.

"He used to talk quite a bit," Giovanni mumbled. "Ever since he woke up though, he has not spoken a word to a single soul. The staff back at the hospital ran a few tests and found nothing wrong to prevent him from doing so. It appears to be by choice." He shook his head sadly. "I would be lying if I said it did not bother me." He lifted his eyes to look at Ms. Soul before looking to the young brunette on the couch. "Does your daughter speak very often," he asked.

The woman turned to her daughter at his words. The two brunettes stared at each other for a few moments. Lyra could tell immediately that she was thinking about all of the times she had tried to explain that the Pokémon world was no dream and that what had happened was in fact real. Even after showing her the badge in her pocket, the mother refused to accept such a thing. Ever since, their talks had been reduced to a few necessary words, nothing more and nothing less.

"Only when she wants to," Lyra's mother finally answered. "She's pretty fickle with her tongue as well. I'm certain it's just part of recovery." She gave Giovanni a weak smile as the two children exchanged a sad, heavy glance at each other. "They'll be back to their old selves soon. We just have to be patient."

* * *

The next week brought Lyra yet again to the small playroom of sorts. Her mother had been talking a bit more with Giovanni Lupo over the last few days and after a very lengthy discussion with the doctors in charge of the two children, both adults decided that it might be beneficial for the two recovering patients to visit with each other. That lone decision had brought Lyra to be sitting at the white couch yet again as the redheaded boy just glared at the table between them. Both parents had left them alone in the room filled with puzzles, games and assorted books and magazines to overlook a few important documents, leaving their offspring to sit in uncomfortable silence.

From being a bit closer to the boy, Lyra noticed that his eyes were a peculiar color. While his father had dull grey eyes, the redhead had bright eyes that looked almost silver in color. The mere observation brought more loneliness in her chest. The color alone reminded her of the Cyndaquil she had been separated from, if only by it being his name. She wondered blankly where he might be before pulling out of her thoughts as her eyes started to sting. She had learned the hard way that crying only made people worry and fuss over her more and after living so freely as a Pokémon, it was hard to swallow in large doses.

As the silence persisted, Lyra wondered how she could communicate with the boy. His father had explained last time they had met that he didn't talk anymore, but perhaps she could try talking to him just a little bit. Anything was better than sitting in agonizing silence.

"So," she mumbled awkwardly, "I guess we must have known each other then, right?" The redhead lifted his head just to glare at her, but her time with Silver had taught her to look in a person's eyes to see what they meant. Looking in the metallic eyes in front of her, she could clearly see curiosity. Therefore, she kept talking. "I mean, with what they said last week and all. We were walking home from school and got hurt. If we were walking together, we must have known each other."

The boy just shrugged and looked away.

Lyra gritted her teeth and let out a hiss. There was an expression she had heard from the Kecleon brothers during one of their arguments, that it was like talking to a wall when one of them were upset. Well, Lyra was certain in that moment that talking to a wall would have gotten her farther than talking to this boy. However it eased something in her chest to talk for once, so the young brunette shifted in her seat and tried talking some more, even if he wasn't listening.

"I guess we're both clumsy then, what with us both unable to walk on our own," Lyra chuckled. The redhead looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, telling her with the swirl in his silver orbs that he was at least slightly interested. "I mean," Lyra explained, "I broke my ankle from trying to get out of bed on my own. I got sick of sitting around and having people waiting on me. I just wanted to get some air." She dully motioned to the crutches beside her. "You can see where that idea got me, though."

The boy turned his head to look at her head-on before looking down at his lap. His eyes were clouded and distant, showing that he was debating something in his mind. Eventually he lifted his head and sighed. The loss of air in his lungs made his shoulders slump weakly, making him seem a bit smaller.

"I didn't break my legs from falling out of bed," the boy croaked. Lyra's eyes widened with shock as he tugged on his navy blue sweater anxiously, trying to get his sleeves to cover more of his wrists. "I was angry when I woke up and I started talking it out on the stuff around me. I ended up breaking my legs somewhere in the mess."

"You talked," Lyra blurted. The redhead gave her a bitter look, making her blush a bit and shake her head. "Sorry, I was just a bit surprised, I guess." The boy then shrugged his shoulders and gave her an almost bored look.

"I don't talk much," he admitted coolly.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it." Lyra awkwardly started pulling on the sleeves of her own red sweater, as if the motion was contagious. "I have a friend who never talks except when he wants to." She paused for a moment before smiling a bittersweet smile. "Except with me. He would always talk to me after we traveled together a bit."

The boy's eyes widened abruptly at her words, but he spoke no more. Instead he sat in his wheelchair and started fiddling with the edges of his casts. Lyra watched him for a few painful moments before sighing and tucking her hand in her pocket, letting her fingers brush up against her rescue team badge. There was a nagging feeling still in her chest even after having a brief conversation with the boy. She still missed her Cyndaquil partner. Her mind wondered once again where he might be before Lyra pulled out her badge. She held it in the palm of her hand and stared bleakly at it, wondering if she would ever find her partner.

The redhead glanced at the brunette before turning his attention back to destroying the outer ridge of his casts. Abruptly he did a double take. His mouth nearly fell open at the sight before him. The girl in front of him was holding a golden badge with wings, tucked firmly inside of a scarlet ribbon. His hands jumped to her palm before he could stop himself and suddenly the badge was in his hands and shimmering in the light as it always had.

"Give that back," Lyra spat. The boy looked up to find the brunette glaring at him with a hand tightened into a fist, as if she was only heartbeats away from hitting him. "That's my badge and I will not let you take it from me." The boy's heart quickened at her words. Before she could continue her rant, the redhead shoved the badge into her palm again and dug in his own pockets. He then pulled out something that made Lyra's heart stop beating.

It was a golden badge with wings, just as hers had. It was identical in every way except for the lack of a ribbon. Lyra's heart jumpstarted and started thrashing in her chest as she looked to the redhead in confusion. He did the same and their eyes met halfway. Slowly, Lyra swallowed a bit of nervousness and gripped her badge all the tighter.

"...Lyra," the boy asked weakly, almost hopefully.

"..Silver," she countered in confusion.

The boy's metallic eyes widened before he was nodding his head furiously with tears in his eyes. Before the girl could do anything, the redhead was throwing his arms around her neck and holding her tight, nearly falling out of his wheelchair as he did so. Lyra felt her own eyes burn with unshed tears as she wrapped her arms around him and kept him close. The two sat there for a few moments before Silver shook with a rough inhale.

"You're really here," he sobbed. Lyra could feel his tears fall on her shoulder and seep in through her knitted sweater. "I-I was so scared that I would never see you again, that we made the wrong choice. I was so angry that I was stuck here that I-I—" His voice broke with another sob as he lost it, feeling the joy in his heart soar and the terrible fear that had been suffocating him float away.

Lyra swallowed hard and nodded violently in response, her vision blurry and covered with small orbs of light. "I've missed you so much." Her voice quivered and strained under her tears, but they didn't mind. The only thing that mattered was that they were right here the whole time and that they both were together again. "I-I was so lonely without you that I didn't even want to get out of bed. I just kept thinking about our wish and agonizing over the thought of never seeing you again," she blurted. "I just wanted to see you."

Silver abruptly pulled away to show his partner a shaking grin and wet eyes. His hand shook as he lifted his badge to hers and let them touch as they always had in celebration of a completed mission. To their surprise, the light reflected on their brilliant surfaces seemed to increase as if they were glowing again. They even could have sworn that they were glowing gold once again, just as they always had.

"Team SoulSilver has completed their last mission," he choked happily. Lyra suddenly beamed at him and nodded, her tears slipping down her cheeks and falling on her lap. "A perfect record for the perfect team." He then lifted his badge high in a salute, laughing a bit through the water on his face. "To Team SoulSilver's return home!"

Lyra's grin grew from ear to ear as she shot her hand in the air and let her badge shine in the sunlight streaming in through the windows. "To Team SoulSilver," she cheered. The two gave each other a quick glance of pure bliss before smiling once again.

They had done it. Their wish had come true.

* * *

 _Author's Note: It is no surprise that I have hundreds of AUs for practically everything. One of the AUs I have is a Mystery Dungeon AU for Silver and Lyra. I decided to write a little bit with that bit using one of the more well-known theories for_ _Pokémon alongside it. I'm certain that at least some of you have heard the whole theory that the reason Ash never ages/Team Rocket is so dumb/All of the Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys look exactly the same is that he's been in a coma the whole time, ever since he was attacked by the Spearow. I wanted to play with the idea and so here we are.  
_

 _For starters, no; the world of_ _Pokémon is an actual place in this fiction. You could probably tell by the two having their badges and Jirachi showing up for a brief moment, perhaps with a bit of help from Xatu. The two are slightly connected, which is why Gardevoir could take both Silver and Lyra from their world and bring them to save all of_ _Pokémon kind._

 _I wrote this in a writer's block to try and force it to leave, and it ended up being over thirteen thousand words long. I don't really understand what's up with me and writing really long oneshots under writer's block, either. It's pretty aggravating, though._

 _I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!_


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